Spring 2015

Spring is here!

Water Efficiency

Edible landscape

Things to Do in the Spring

Planning for Summer

Many of us have been waiting anxiously for the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the glorious spring weather. This could be the year to start that vegetable garden you’ve been thinking about, or plant trees and annuals that will make your garden a place of special delight. There is always so much to do!

Top of the list is irrigation. The winter rains barely came at all this year, and we're all concerned about water conservation. It’s always best to make sure your irrigation system is operating efficiently and adequately for your watering needs. This is a must for your spring checklist.

While we’re busy checking things off the spring list, don’t forget summer. You might be planning a wedding, a graduation party, or just get-togethers with family and friends this summer. You may just want to spruce up your landscaping with a great makeover. Creative Environments can do all of this, and more, for you, leaving you with time to relax and enjoy your garden without all the work and stress.

Water Efficiency
Perhaps one of the most valuable parts of any landscape is its watering system. Spring is the time to check out your irrigation system and make sure that it is operating efficiently and that all parts are in working order. Cracked or broken tubing must be replaced along with clogged emitters and sprayers. Make sure your timer is in good working order and that each plant is receiving the proper amount of water for good growth. This is definitely a time to call the professionals at Creative Environments and have them check out your irrigation system to make sure that you’re ready for spring.

Things to Do in the Spring
Compost and turn the soil. Spread a layer of leaves or organic compost over the soil before turning it with a spade or rototiller. This will break up the soil and prepare it for spring plantings.
Control weeds. Get control of weeds before they control your garden. This is especially important in spring when weeds form their blossoms and go to seed.

Edible landscape
Have you ever thought of growing your own fruits and vegetables? While this practice is gaining steadily in popularity, it’s not a new one. Folks have been growing their own food for centuries. During World War II, families and communities were encouraged to create a Victory Garden, to provide food at a local level and at a relatively low cost. There is nothing like produce fresh from the garden to your table. However, you may be hesitant or unsure about getting started.

Creative Environments can help you plan, design, implement, and maintain such a garden. Their knowledgeable experts will guide you through plant selection, soil preparation, fertilization, and irrigation. They will show you how to plant according to season so that you can have fresh produce year-round, and how to use companion plants to discourage insects while providing color, as well.

You may also want to consider putting in cold frames, hotbeds, or a hot house. A cold frame is a bottomless box placed on the soil where plants may be started, grown, or stored. A hotbed is great for starting early vegetables--peppers, eggplants, early cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and melons. A hotbed is basically a cold frame that is artificially heated so that it can be used early or late in the growing season. A hothouse, or greenhouse, is kept artificially heated for the growing of tender exotic or subtropical plants, or for the production of fruits, flowers, or vegetables out of season. Creative Environments can help you decide which method of planting would be best for your particular location and climate.

Start seedlings indoors. If you don’t have a cold frame, it’s easy to start seedlings indoors while the weather is still uncertain. Nurseries sell a variety of containers for starting seedlings. Be sure to follow the planting directions recommended by the seed company. Don’t move tender seedlings outdoors until the danger of frost has passed.

Trim and shape shrubs. This is important for healthy plants. Cut out any dead growth from the previous year to encourage new spring growth. Keeping shrubs free of dead growth is also prudent as summer’s scorching weather approaches, eliminating a potential fire hazard.
Keep bare root plants and trees well watered. If you have installed bare root plants or trees, make sure that they receive plenty of water in their first year. This will help them establish their roots in their new locations.

Planning for Summer
Spring is the time to get moving on plans for the summer. Do you need a deck or need to replace an old deck? Are you thinking about a new garden or renovating an old one? Considering installing a pergola or a stone wall? Want to create a more water-efficient garden or take care of an erosion issue? Creative Environments offers a free one-hour consultation to help you get started on those projects that will help make your summer garden the success of the season.

Whatever your landscaping needs are, we are ready to work with you to make your plans a reality. Please feel free to call us at (707) 827-7980 for a free, one-hour consultation with one of our landscape specialists. We look forward to hearing from you.

Call Us!

Creative Environments would like to meet with you to discuss your landscaping needs. Please feel free to call us at (707) 827-7980 for a free, one-hour consultation with one of our landscape specialists. We look forward to hearing from you.